Rita Moreno, Pati Jinich and More Featured in PBS SoCal and KCET National Hispanic Heritage Month Special Programming Lineup September 15 to October 15

Press Contact

Allison Gray
agray@pmgsocal.org
747.201.5298

pbssocal.org/hh and kcet.org/hh

Select programming will also be available to stream on PBS.org and the free PBS App. Members of PBS SoCal | KCET get extended access through PBS Passport.

Los Angeles, Calif. – August 19, 2021 – PBS SoCal and KCET, Southern California’s flagship PBS stations as well as the home for award-winning, original local content, announced today specially curated programs to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month on both channels. The shows highlight Hispanic culture as well as the obstacles presented to the Latinx community by today's societal constraints. Exploring the hardships and triumphs of bi-cultural identity, undocumented citizenship and immigration, the new slate of content looks for a way to educate communities and create positive change. Programming will begin on Wed., Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. on KCET, as well as on Sun., Sept. 19 at 2 p.m. on PBS SoCal and will continue throughout the following four weeks.

PBS SoCal will host several Hispanic Heritage Month specials that include an all-new edition of AMERICAN MASTERS called “Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It” will highlight the beloved icon’s life and illustrious career thus far followed by a co-presentation from VOCES and AMERICAN MASTERS: “Lights, Camera, Acciòn” which features the candid perspectives of Latinx actors, writers, producers, directors and showrunners. Additional highlights from PBS include POV: “Fruits of Labor” which features a teenager in a small California agricultural town and VOCES “Letters to Eloisa” about Cuban writer José Lezama Lima. New episodes of LA FRONTERA WITH PATI JINICH will explore the U.S.-Mexico border’s rich culture, people and cuisine.

Several KCET Original programs will highlight local Latinx issues with Hispanic Heritage content during the month-long celebration. Those options include SOUTHLAND SESSIONS “Mariachi: from Romance to Resistance” which explores the tradition of Mariachi music and its transformation through time and circumstance. While ARTBOUND’s “La Raza” documents East Los Angeles during the late 1960s and 1970s, where a group of young activists used creative tools like writing and photography as a means for community organizing, providing a platform for the Chicano Movement in the form of the bilingual newspaper/magazine La Raza.

To cap off the Heritage Month schedule, PBS SoCal and KCET will exclusively stream THE 36TH ANNUAL IMAGEN AWARDS administered by the Imagen Foundation, an organization dedicated to encouraging and recognizing the positive portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment industry. For more details on how to stream the show, please visit pbssocal.org/hh and kcet.org/hh

The lineup will telecast as follows (subject to change):

Southland Sessions: “Mariachi: from Romance to Resistance” – Wed., Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. PT on KCET

Explore the tradition of Mariachi music and its transformation through time and circumstance.

Artbound: “La Raza” – Wed., Sept. 15 at 9 p.m. PT on KCET

Young activists in 1960s and 1970s East Los Angeles provide a platform for the Chicano Movement in the form of the bilingual newspaper/magazine La Raza.

Wonders of Mexico – Sun. Sept. 19 at 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. PT on PBS SoCal

Journey across Mexico to discover its amazing wildlife and culture.

Great Performances: “John Leguizamo’s Road to Broadway” – Wed., Sept. 22 at 9 p.m. PT on KCET

Go behind-the-scenes of John Leguizamo's Tony-nominated one-man show, Latin History for Morons, a comic but pointed look at Hispanic culture.

Latino Americans – Thurs., Sept. 30 7 p.m. – 12 a.m. PT on PBS SoCal

A landmark six-hour documentary featuring interviews with nearly 100 Latinos and more than 500 years of History.

Pov: “Fruits of Labor” – Mon., Oct. 4 at 10 p.m. PT on PBS SoCal and Sat., Oct. 9 at 11:30 p.m. on KCET

A teenager with dreams of graduating high school and going to college is forced to work when ICE raids threaten her family.

American Masters: “Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It” – Tues., Oct. 5 at 9 p.m. PT on PBS SoCal and Wed., Oct. 6 at 8 p.m. on KCET

The documentary film follows Rita Moreno, focusing on her early life and decades-long career.

Voces and American Masters: “Lights, Camera, Acciòn” – Tues., Oct. 5 at 10:30 p.m. PT on PBS SoCal and Wed., Oct. 6 at 9:30 p.m. on KCET

Features the candid perspectives of Latinx actors, writers, producers and showrunners across generations as they dissect the ever-evolving issue of Latinx representation in Hollywood. Included are actors Edward James Olmos (Stand and Deliver), John Leguizamo (Romeo + Juliet), Xolo Maridueña (Cobra Kai) and Julissa Calderon (Gentefied); showrunners Peter Murrieta (Mr. Iglesias), Marvin Lemus (Gentefied) and more.

34th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards – Fri., Oct. 8 at 9 p.m. PT on PBS SoCal and Wed., Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. on KCET

Featuring intimately filmed performances and honoree segments captured on location across the United States and Latin America that include appearances by Kali Uchis and Carlos Santana.

La Frontera with Pati Jinich: “Miles from Nowhere” – Wed., Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. on KCET and Fri., Oct. 22 at 9 p.m. PT on PBS SoCal

Savor the sights, sounds and flavors of the U.S.-Mexico border alongside acclaimed chef and James Beard Award-winning host Pati Jinich as she experiences the region’s rich culture, people and cuisine.

Voces: “Letters to Eloisa” – Sat., Oct. 9 at 9 p.m. on KCET and Sun., Oct. 17 at 10 p.m. PT on PBS SoCal

A documentary on Cuban writer José Lezama Lima told through his letters to his sister living in exile.

ONLINE CONTENT. The online early education portal at pbssocal.org will provide a digital resource comprising a selection of cultural content that includes:

• Video clips and essays exploring José Lezama Lima's legacy.
• Hispanic Heritage Month bucket list for families with young children, featuring people to know, places to visit, craft ideas, recipes, holidays and traditions.
• Children's book list featuring authors and perspectives from several Hispanic cultures.
• Interview and children's book list featuring Salvadoran author Maggie Carranza talking about her book "ABCs of El Salvador."

Join the conversation on social media using #HispanicHeritageMonth #KCET and #PBSSoCal

About PBS SoCal and KCET

PBS SoCal and KCET are both part of the donor-supported community institution, the Public Media Group of Southern California. PBS SoCal is the flagship PBS station for diverse people across California and delivers content and experiences that inspire, inform and educate. PBS SoCal offers the full slate of beloved PBS programs including MASTERPIECE, NOVA, PBS NewsHour, FRONTLINE, and a broad library of documentary films with works from Ken Burns; as well as educational content including PBS KIDS programs like DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD and CURIOUS GEORGE. KCET showcases the best of PBS and is a leading source for arts, culture, and news in Southern California. Through innovative storytelling, KCET explores and expresses our dynamic local communities helping residents understand and connect with the region's diverse communities and ideas. For additional information about both KCET and PBS SoCal productions, web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community events, please visit kcet.org and pbssocal.org KCET Originals and PBS programming are available to stream on the FREE PBS App on iOS and Android devices, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, and Chromecast. KCET is also available to watch live on YouTube TV.